She manages to look like an amalgam of Camilla and Kristina.

On another note, Aliona's feet seem to be in very good shape considering the shoes and dancing her feet go through.

Famous Lithuanians No1

Czeslaw Milosz, one of my favourite poets of the last century, was Lithuanian by origin, if not (often) by political boundary, real boundary, language or possible expectation. Down with the Soviet Union... Oh errm and Down with the Third Reich. He's an amazing man, a survivor in every sense, even though he is now dead. But he died an old man which is an incredible feat for one who wrote and published anti-Nazi material from inside the Polish Ghetto.

So there's the start of the Great and Famous Lithuanians list if one ever gets started


No2 Iveta

Thanks Soupy!

Does anyone know how her name is pronounced? I was just wondering how Brucie will get on with it!

I'm looking forward to seeing her dance, although like others, I was also looking forward to seeing how Aliona got on with Johnny.

Going by SYTYCD it's "lyoo-kuh-shoo-tuh" although God knows if that's accurate.

Hi, Wrenny. According to the SYTYCD clip, it's pronounced with a short 'I' and a short 'E', with the stress on the 'E', like 'Spiv-vet-ta'

Gawd, we'd better see how she says it. Lithuanian is the oldest living Indo European language and bears many similarities to Sanskrit .

I ain't saying nuthing till we hear her pronounce her name herself

Aloiona was injured on Thursday. Friday the physio confirmed the worst and she cannot dance for at least 2 weeks and possibly a lot longer. By Sunday morning a dancer is found who has worked for the BBC Strictly team and has danced with Pasha before and is available. It has been sorted out so quickly maybe she was on standby.
I have said before I was looking forward to seeing Aliona and Johnny. I had an image of a black and white movie, Charlie Chaplin,Betty Boop thing going on. With Johnnys energy and humour and Alionas goofiness.
Best of luck to all three

Brilliant! Nominated for post of the day.

The first dance at least will be Aliona's choreography. So fingers crossed you get some of that Chaplin dream... Their first day training vid will give a little glimpse of what might have been.

Actually, that's a question, if Aliona is going to be out long-term, will she continue to choreograph the routines for week 2, 3, 4... or does that become too unwieldly?

Exactly.

Tomorrow morning half of this thread will be in the Daily Mail

"STRICTLY SEETHING: FANS BEMOAN FOREIGN DANCER SCANDAL"

No need to apologise, it is a big disappointment for Aliona fans, and you are understandably upset.

Even if she doesn't get to compete with Johnny, I would think she should be back in time to take part in some pro routines.

Thanks all of you! Er...........I think I'll go with Pet Monkey and wait until we've heard if from her (I was going to say horses mouth, but thought better of it)!!

I wonder if Aliona will keep on choreographing if she's out more that a couple of weeks? I can easily see Johnny being in for a few weeks.

That is a distinct possibilty unfortuntely!!!

Seems we are totally bereft of UK born dancers .

Never mins what The Scu...sorry...Sun will make of the uproar!

Quite rightly too!! Do we have no British women dancers who are neither too old, nor has beens??

For those interested Iveta's twitter name is @D8Iveta

Maybe she was given the job because she has danced with Pasha before, and a good replacement as Aliona is Pasha'a pro partner in Strictly?

I don't think it's really fair to criticise the BBC for not having a British female dancer in this instance. They needed somebody, anybody, who could partner Johnny at such short notice - and it's not as if any of the female pros already contracted to the show could do it. I imagine they would have gone with the first suitable person who turned up.

Loving all the video clips - thanks and keep them coming, although I already spend too much time on YT!

My understanding of the Pro selection process is as follows:

Every year, the pros from the previous series who wish to return are interviewed by the producers.

In the meantime, auditions are held for dancers wishing to become SCD pros.

If the producers decide to drop any of the existing pros or pros have decided not to return themselves, they are replaced by auditionees.

We don't know if there are many (if any) british pros applying from this process. If there are then some of them may insist on being hired as a pair (like Erin/Anton, James/Ola, Vincent/Flavia come as a pair) or may not simply come up to scratch.

Sometimes auditionees can be unsuccessful in one country, but be spotted and recommended for another country's format (Tristan McManus being one example- auditioned here in 2010, turned down but recommended for dwts US).

Iveta has danced in the dwts Las Vegas show (produced by BBC world wide) and in another country's format of the show. She may have even auditioned for scd this year. Either way, she was known to the producers who have had to make a quick replacement.

Personally, i'm really chuffed that they've secured someone of her calibre & qualifications to appear & I've enjoyed looking up some of her dances on Youtube. I couldn't give a flying f*ck where someone is from if they are well qualified for the job they've been employed to do. I'm also amused/baffled at some of the moaning considering how much people usually moan at the lack of 10 dance specialists in SCD

Wot she said!

Great Post!

Abso-bloody-lutely! Sorry to cut your post short, Kmc, but rather than people bemoaning the fact that securing Iveta as Aliona's stand-in is somehow the best the BBC could do at short notice, why aren't we congratulating the producers at securing somebody so well qualified? She's a stunning dancer and has legs that go on forever. I wish her well.

I hope Iveta has a 'ball' on Strictly.